FIG. 33 is a schematic diagram showing an inside of a conventional automotive vehicle.
As shown in this FIG. 33, in the conventional automotive vehicle, reference numeral 330 denotes an instrument panel provided in a front portion inside of the automotive vehicle, reference numeral 331 denotes an audio system such as a radio receiver, a cassette deck player, a compact disc (CD) player or the like provided in a central portion 330a of the instrument panel 330, reference numeral 332 denotes a dash board provided in a central upper portion of the instrument panel 330, reference numeral 333 denotes a steering wheel provided on the right of the instrument panel 330, reference numeral 340 denotes a driver's seat, reference numeral 341 denotes a assistant driver's seat, and reference numeral 350 denotes a central console box disposed in a position sandwiched between the driver's seat 340 and the assistant driver's seat 341.
Conventionally, it has been the dominant influence of the times to configure such that the audio system 331 is disposed in the central portion 330a of the instrument panel 330.
On the other hand, with the recent wide spreading of a navigation system, there have gradually been come into market automobile vehicles of the following arrangements: an arrangement in which a main body (not shown) of the navigation system is disposed under the front seat such as the driver's seat, the assistant driver's seat or the like and a displaying portion for displaying thereon map information outputted from the navigation system is disposed near the central portion of the instrument panel; an arrangement in which the space for disposing an audio system is narrowed to dispose the displaying portion in an upper central portion of the instrument panel, i.e., to embed it inside the dash board; and an arrangement in which instruments indicating the state of a brake system which is disposed on the driver's seat side of the instrument panel, are disposed in the central portion of the instrument panel. This kind of arrangements will come to be the main current in the future.
In addition, arrangements considered disposition of the displaying portion, there have been known automobile vehicles of the following arrangements: an arrangement in which the displaying portion is disposed in the central upper portion of the instrument panel, i.e., is embedded inside the dash board; and an arrangement in which the displaying portion is embedded previously inside a part of a group of audio devices disposed in the central portion of the instrument panel, after the displaying portion is projected forward when it is in use, a display surface of the displaying portion moving substantially in parallel with the surface in the central portion of the instrument panel (in-dash type display apparatus).
In this background, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 297391/1998 discloses an automobile vehicle in which switches for the audio devices, the air conditioner or the like which are conventionally disposed in the central portion of the instrument panel are provided inside a center console disposed between the driver's seat and the assistant driver's seat. FIG. 34 is a schematic diagram showing a principal portion of the above arrangement.
In FIG. 34, reference numeral 1 denotes an instrument panel provided in a front portion inside the automobile vehicle, reference numeral 2 denotes a steering wheel provided on the right side of the instrument panel 1, reference numeral 3 denotes a gear shift lever provided in the central lower portion of the instrument panel 1, reference numeral 4 denotes a display provided in a central upper portion of the instrument panel 1, and reference numeral 5 denotes front seats, the front seats 5 being disposed by arranging a assistant driver's seat 5a and a driver's seat 5b in a line.
In addition, in a position sandwiched between the assistant driver's seat 5a and the driver's seat 5b, a center console 6 is disposed. As shown in FIG. 35, the center console 6 is provided with a lid 6a and a housing portion is formed inside the center console, which is opened and closed by this lid 6a. 
Further, in a part of the front of the center console 6, a switch panel portion 6b formed in a recessed shape is provided. A remote control unit 7 can be detachably mounted in this switch disposing portion 6b. 
Having been arranged as described above, it allows a passenger seated in the driver's seat or in the assistant driver's seat of the automotive vehicle to easily be operated the switches in a seated posture.
Further, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 185547/1992 discloses a construction of a conventional improved model of an in-dash type of display apparatus. FIG. 36 is an overall arrangement view of this apparatus.
In addition, FIGS. 37 and 38 are figures explaining the a state of the operation of this display apparatus. FIG. 37 shows a state in which the display is not in use and FIG. 38 shows a state in which the display is moving to the predetermined position so as to get into the state in FIG. 36 in which the display is in a position ready for use.
In FIGS. 36, 37 and 38, reference numeral 10 denotes a casing, reference numeral 11 denotes the display which is housed inside the casing 10 when it is not in use and taken out of the casing 10 when it is in use, and reference numeral 12 denotes a sliding member (arm) for supporting the display 11. This sliding member 12 is, when the display 11 is being housed, housed inside the casing 10 together with the display 11.
However, the conventional audio devices and the image reproducing devices are arranged as described above and mounted inside the automotive vehicle. Therefore, there has been a problem that a space for disposition is limited in the central portion of the instrument panel, and the devices to be installed in this space must therefore be deliberately selected by the user. Particularly, the user who wishes to equip various kinds of audio deices and image reproducing devices inside the automotive vehicle suffers from a serious inconvenience.
Further, the audio device is disposed in the central portion of the instrument panel. Therefore, there has been a problem that the replacement of the recording media such as cassette tapes, digital audio tapes (DAT's), compact discs (CD's), minidiscs (MD's), digital versatile discs (DVD's), or the simultaneous setting operation of each device or a plurality of devices are only allowed for passengers seated in the driver's seat and the assistant driver's seat. That is, passengers other than those seated in the front seats, i.e., the passengers seated in the rear seats are not allowed to operate in a seated state, with the result that the passengers seated in the rear seats suffer from a serious inconvenience.
Further, passengers are seated far from the displaying means. Therefore, there has been a problem that the disposition of the displaying means for displaying visual information from the image reproducing device or the like is disposed in the central portion of the instrument panel provides the passengers seated in the front seats a better visibility. However, it provides the passengers seated in the rear seats a poor visibility.
Further, when the audio device or the image reproducing device is operated, the operating means thereof is normally integrated with the device. Therefore, there has been a problem that the operator is obliged to extend his or her arm toward the central portion of the instrument panel. It follows that the passengers seated in the rear seats cannot operate it, and even the passengers seated in the front seats must also change their posture from a posture leaning back in the seat to a posture forwardly bent in the seat before operating the device. Accordingly, the operation cannot easily be made.
Further, an arrangement in which an operating means is separated as a remote controller (hereinafter refers as a remocon) from the apparatus itself is also known. In this kind of arrangement, after having operated with the remote controller, the remote controller is often left detached from the housing place. Ordinarily, the remote controller is small in size. Therefore, there has been a problem that it is apt to lose, and thus the operator gets into the trouble that he or her has to look for it before operating.
Further, the audio device, the image reproducing device or the like is disposed in the central portion of the instrument panel and fixed to make a connection of wires or the like inside the instrument panel, the number of devices which is disposable in the instrument panel space available is narrow being restricted. In disposing, a user is compelled to deliberately select the specific device. In addition, the devices are fixed to part of the instrument panel by means of screws or the like. Therefore, there has been a problem that the replacing work of the device now mounted by a different one is cumbersome.
Further, when devices disposed in the apparatus are activated, anybody can access to them. Therefore, there has been a problem that when children are present in the passengers, persons who are not welcome to operate the devices can also gain an easy access to their operation.
Further, when the devices disposed in the apparatus are detachable, anybody can detach them. Therefore, there has been a problem that the devices mounted on the apparatus are subject to the damages of stealing, tampering or the like.
Further, the operating means such as a touch panel displaced on the like for operating the contents displayed on the displaying means is disposed together with the displaying means in the central portion of the instrument panel. Therefore, there has been a problem that, when the operating means is operated, the operator must change his or her posture from one leaning back to the seat to one forwardly bent in the seat before operating the operating means, or the operator is obliged to extend his or her arm toward the operating means, with the result that the operation cannot easily be done.
Furthermore, in case the space between the seats is devoted to a passage for the passengers like in a bus or the like, among the mobile bodies. Therefore, there has been a problem that nothing can be disposed on the floor because of a possible hindrance to the passage of the passengers.
This invention has been made to solve the above problems. An object of the invention is to provide a device installation apparatus for a mobile body for improving the convenience of the passengers and the operability, by disposing it in a position sandwiched between a driver's seat and a assistant driver's seat, and by providing an audio device and an image reproducing device on a installing means, movable along the longitudinal direction of the mobile body, so as to give not only the passengers seated in the front seats but also the passengers seated in the rear seats direct access to the devices installed inside the installing means.
Another object of the invention is to provide a device installation apparatus for a mobile body for improving the convenience of the passenger and operability, by moving the installing means to a position suitable for each of the front seats, rear seats and the intermediate seats between the front seats and the rear seats, so as to give the passengers seated in all of the seats inside the mobile body access to the devices.
Another object of the invention is to provide a device installation apparatus for a mobile body for improving the convenience of the passengers, by moving the installing means to a position suitable for the front seats, the rear seats, and the intermediate seats between the front seats and the rear seats, so as to allow the passengers seated in all of the seats to replace the memory medium inserted into each of the devices.
Another object of the invention is to provide a device installation apparatus for mobile body for enabling easy and free replacement of the devices to be installed inside the installing means, by providing a mounting/dismounting means with the installing means for detachably holding the devices.
Another object of the invention is to provide a device installation apparatus for a mobile body for finding more wider applications thereof, and for further improving the convenience of the apparatus, by providing a guide means for guiding the installing means not only on the floor portion but also on the roof portion, so as to dispose the installing means on the roof portion even in case the disposition of the installing means on the floor portion is difficult.
Another object of the invention is to provide a device installation apparatus for a mobile body for preventing from being wrongly operated or tampered, by restricting the operator who is permitted to access to the devices installed inside the installing means.
Another object of the invention is to provide a device installation apparatus for a mobile body for preventing from being wrongly operated, tampered, or stolen the devices installed inside the installing means, by restricting the operator who is permitted to mount or dismount the devices installed inside the installing means.
Another object of the invention is to provide a device installation apparatus for a mobile body for improving the visibility of the visual information even in the passengers seated in the rear seat, and for further improving the convenience of the apparatus, by providing the installing means.
Another object of the invention is to provide a device installation means for a mobile body and a displaying means disposed inside the mobile body for enabling the operation of the contents or the like displayed on the displaying means in a posture learning back in a seat, i.e., in a relaxedly seated posture, by providing the displaying means disposed in the central portion of the instrument panel with an operating means which projects rearward of the automotive vehicle.
Another object of the invention is to provide a device installation apparatus for a mobile body and a displaying means disposed inside the mobile body for preventing the operating means from being lost, by arranging the displaying means and the operating means separable through a supporting means.
Another object of the invention is to provide a device installation apparatus for a mobile body and a displaying means disposed inside the mobile body for enabling recognition of the visual information, irrespective of a state of the operation the operating means disposed inside the mobile body is used, by making a display only on the display surface which is able to display even when the operating means is overlapped with the displaying means.
Another object of the invention is to provide a device installation apparatus for a mobile body and a displaying means disposed inside the mobile body for enabling recognition of all the visual information to be displayed, and for further improving the convenience of the apparatus, irrespective of the size of the area of the display surface, by changing the ratio of scale of the displayed contents depending on reductions of the area of the display surface due to the overlapping of the operating means with the displaying means.
Another object of the invention is to provide a device installation apparatus for a mobile body and a displaying means disposed inside the mobile body for enabling recognition of the contents of the divided display, irrespective of the size of the area of the display surface, by making the divided display corresponding to each case, even if the area of the display surface of the displaying means is varied due to the overlapping of the operating means with the displaying means.
Another object of the invention is to provide a device installation apparatus for a mobile body and a displaying apparatus disposed inside the mobile body for enabling the operator to perform a operation adopted for respective users, and for further improving the operability of the apparatus, by adjusting the angle of the operating means relative to the displaying means for choice of the user.